Apparatus for vulcanization



EDW/N O W/ESE E. C. WIE$E APPARATUS FOR VULCANIZATIOfi Filed Feb. 5. L921 Patented Dec. 2, 1924.. UNTTED STATES I 1,517,327 PATENT OFFICE.

EDWIN C. WIESE, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGINOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS,

TO THE FISK RUBBER COMPANY, OF GHICOPEE FALLS, MASSACHUSETTS, A (JOB- PORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

arra m'rus son VULCANIZATION.

Application filed February 5, 1921. Serial No. 442,807.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWIN C. Wmsn, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee 5 and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for vulcanization, of which the fol lowing is a specification.

My invention relates to vulcanization and 1 the principal object of my invention is to produce a machine for continuous vulcanization. In the drawings accompanylng this specification and forming a part thereof I have shown for purposes of illustration one 1 embodiment whlch my invention may assume. In these drawings the single figure represents a general plan of this illustrative embodiment.

The embodiment of my invention herein 2 illustrated is particularly adapted for continuous curing of reliners. Mounted upon a frame 11 by means'of supports 12 1s a shaft 13 supporting a drum 14 whichcontains the raw material 15, which passes over a drum 16, a drum 17 and a former .18, the

latter being of the contour which the reliner is to have when it is placed in the casing for which'it is designed. The drum 16 and the former 18 are geared together by gearing 19 and this. earmg is of such ratio that the raw materlal is stretched an remain straight and without waves.

From the former 18 the partially formed,

reliner 21 passes on to a platen 22 which is in general of the same contour as the former 18 but is so! placed with relation to the former that the partially former reliner 21 is compelled to reverse its direction of concavity, as illustrated in the drawin s, to thereby form the completely forme raw reliner 23.

This platen 22 is rotatably mounted on a shaft 24 sup orted in a cross-piece 25 of the frame 11. ositioned adjacent the platen 22 are a plurality of co-operating segmental platens 26, each of which is formed on the face adjacent the platen 22 with a concavity co-operating with the platen 22 to press the formed raw reliner 23. These segmental platens 26 are mounted on a sub-framework 2? by means of guides 28 in such manner that they may be reciprocated toward and from the annular platen 22 and solenoids 29 are provided to effect withdrawal of the block 41 and periodically cut off by means 65 segmental platen 26 from the annular platen 22 while compression springs 30 are provided to return the segmental platens upon de-energization of the solenoids 29. The platens are all hollow and provide for the reception of steam or other heating medium therein, the steam being conducted to the segmental platens 26 by means of flexible connections 31 and to the annular platen 22 by means of the aperture 32in the supporting shaft 24 and the cross aperture 33 connecting therewith and leading to a channel 34 in the annular platen-which-channel in turn connects with the interior of the platen proper by means of an aperture 35 through 70 one of the platen spokes. The annular platen 22 is rotated by means of a gear 36 having a ratchet connection with the annular platen and driven by means of a rack 37 operated in driving direction by the solenoid 38 and in return direction by compres sion spring 39.

The vulcanized reliner 40 as it comes from the annular platen 22 is led over a cutting so of a knife 42 reciprocating in the guide 43 and operated in cutting direction by means of the solenoid 44 and in reverse direction by means of the tension spring 45.

I It will appear from the above description that the raw stock 15 is carried over the drum 16,under the drum 17, over'former 18 to form the reversed-curvature semi-formed raw reliner 21, and then reversed and carried on to the annular platen 22 to be formed into the completely formed reliner 40. The raw material is pulled over the drums 16 and 17 and the former 18, and onto the platen 22 by means of the rotation of the platen .22, although in certain-cases it may be found to be desirable to provide additional driving means forthe drum 16 and former 18. After the completely formed raw reliner 23 is in position on the annular platen 22 the segmental platens 26 are permitted to advance into position to press the reliner between the co-operating faces of the annular platen and the se mental platens. Due tothe heat present in the platens, vulcanization begins. When this vulcanization is approximately one-sixth completed the segmental latens 26 are withdrawn sufliciently to c ear the reliner 23 and the annular platen 22 is then rotated one-eighth of a revolution to bring the partially cured reliner under the succeeding section of segmental platen. It will be obvious from a consideration of the drawings that continual repetition of this process will result in the continued presence under the segmental platens 26 of reliner varying from the raw state at the beginning to the completely cured state at the end.

I have found it feasible to control the entire operation by means of circuit closers. This mechanism is shown as consisting of a shaft 46 driven at constant speed and carrying a gear 47 meshing with a co-operating gear 48 to which is secured a insulated disk 49 in which is imbedded a T-shaped contact 50 communicating with the shaft 51 and in this way with the framework 11 and adapted to be engaged by brushes 52 and 53 connected respectivelyto the solenoids for retracting the segmental platens 26 and the solenoid for operating the annular platen 22. With the rotation in the direction shown by the arrow it will be obvious that the contact 50 first engages the brush 52 to energize the solenoids 29 to retract the segmental platens 26 and then engages the brush 53 to energize the solenoid 38 to rotate the annular platen 22 and thereafter disengages the brush 52 to permit the springs 30 to return the segmental platens 26 to operative position and then disengages the contact 53 to permit the spring 39 to return the rack 37 and ratchet-bearing gear 36 into position for a subsequent rotation of the annular platen 22.

Meshing with a pinion 54 also carried by the constant speed shaft 46 is a gear 55 rigid with a shaft 56 to which is secured an insulating disk 57 carrying a contact 58 communicating with the shaft 56 and in this manner with the frame 11 and adapted to be engaged by a brush 59 to complete the circuit through the cutting solenoid 44. The shaft 56 is supported by arms pivoted to frame 11 and so mounted in the arms that the entire unit of gear 55, disk 57 and shaft 56 may be readily removed and replaced by a unit having a gear of different size which will swing about the pivot of these arms until it does mesh with the constant speed pinion 54. By this construction the ratio may be changed and in that way the knife 42 will be caused to operate with difierent frequency and the length .of reliner cut-off will be correspondingly varied.

In regard to the electrical connections it will be seen that the entire power is derived from a single source of power 61 which is grounded to the frame 11 by means of a wire 62. The other side of this source 61 is connected by wires 63 to each of the three solenoids 29 and to the solenoids 44 and 38. The other side of each of the solenoids 29 is connected by means of wires 64 to the brush 52 while the other side of the solenoid 38 is connected by means of a wire 65 to the brush 53 and the other side of the solenoid 44 is connected by means of a Wire 66 to the brush 59. From the brushes the circuits are completed by means of the contacts to the frame 11 and through the frame back to the ground on the wire 62.

It will be understood that the embodiment herein disclosed is shown for purposes of illustration only and that my invention therefore is not limited thereto. In particular it will be understood that my apparatus may be modified in many ways and is applicable to the manufacture of man other products and that it is not limite to the embodiment or product illustrated.

I claim:

1. A continuous press comprising a first platen adapted to be advanced with the stock and a second platen cooperating therewith and adapted to be retracted to permit relative movement between said stock and said second platen in a direction to advance said stock relative to said second platen.

2. A continuous press comprising a first platen adapted to be advanced with the stock and a second platen cooperating therewith, restricted from continuously advancing with said stock, and adapted to be retracted to permit relative movement between said stock and said second platen in a direction to advance said stock relative to said second platen.

3. A continuous press comprising a first platen adapted to be advanced with the stock and a second platen cooperating therewith, restricted against any substantial movement in the direction of advance of said stock, and adapted to be retracted to permit advance of said stock relative thereto.

4. A continuous press comprising a first platen adapted to be advanced with the stock and a second platen adapted to be advanced into cooperating relation to said first platen, maintained in such position over a period, and retracted to permit relative movement between said stock and said second platen in a direction to advance said stock relative to said second platen.

5. A continuous press comprising a first platen adapted to be advanced with the stock and a second platen adapted to be advanced into cooperating relation to said first platen, maintained in such position in the absence of substantial advance of said stock and over a period, and retracted to permit relative movement between said stock and said platen in a direction to advance said stock relative to said second platen.

6. A continuous press comprising a first platen adapted to bev advanced with the stock and a second platen restricted from continuously advancing with said stock and adapted to be advanced into cooperating relation to said first platen, maintainedin to advance said stock relative to said sec{ ond platen.

7. A continuous-curing press having a platen arranged to move with the stock and a plurality of co-operating sectional platens press stockagainst said first V (platen.

arranged to 8. A continuous press comprising a first platen adapted to be advanced with thestock and a second platen restricted from continuously advancing with said stock and adapted to be advanced into cooperating relation to said first platen, maintained in, such position in the absence of substantial advance of said stock and over aperiod, and retracted to permit relative movement between said stock and said second platen in a direction to advance said stock relative to said second platen.

9. A continuous-curing press 'having a platen arranged tomove with the stock and a co-operating platen arranged to press stock against said first platen and then be retracted to permit advance of said first platen and the stock.

10. A continuous-curing press having a platen arranged to move with the stock and a reciprocating platen arranged to press stock against said first platen and then be retracted to permit advance of said first platen and the stock.

11. A continuousvpress comprising a first platen adapted to be advanced with the stock and a second platen restricted against any substantial movement in the direction of advance of'said stock and adapted to be advanced into cooperating relation to said first platen, maintained in such position in the absence of substantial advance of said stock and over a period, and retracted to permit advance of said stock relative thereto. i

means to advance and retract said second platen, and means controlling the two said means to cause operatlon thereof in cycles each comprising advance of said first platen,

then advance of said second platen, then pause, and then retraction of said second platen.

*18. A continuous press comprising a first platen adapted to be advanced with the stock, a second platen restricted against continuous movement with said stock but adapted to be advanced to cooperate with said first platen and to be retracted out of cooperating position, means to advance said first platen, means to advance and retract said second platen, and means controlling the two said means to "cause operation thereof in cycles each comprising advance of said first platen, then advance of said second platen, then pause, and then retraction of said second platen.

14; A continuous press comprising a first platen adapted to be advanced witlrthe stock, a second platen adapted to be advanced to cooperate with said first platen and to be retracted out of" cooperating position, means to advance said first platen,

meansto advance and retract said second platen, and means for controlling the two said means to cause operation thereof in cycles in'each of which said first platen is advanced and said second platen is ad- 16. A continuous press comprising a first platen adapted to be advanced-with the stock, a second platen restricted against any substantial movement in the direction of movement vofsaid stock but adapted to be advanced to cooperate with said first platen and to be retracted from cooperating position, means to advance said first platen, means to advance and retract said second platen, and means controlling the two said means to cause operation thereof in cycles each comprising advance of said first platen, then advance of said second platen, then pause, and then retraction of saidsecond platen.

In testimony whereof Ihave signed my name to the above specification.

. EDWIN. C. WIESE. 

